Blues In The Schools
- What is Blues In The Schools?
- Relation to Your School and Community
- Program Options
- Program Ideas for You to Consider
- What Outcomes Can You Expect?
What is Blues In The Schools?
“Blues in the Schools” is an educational outreach program designed to help music educators, students, parents and communities understand and appreciate the fundamentals of blues music. The program features an experiential learning approach with a focus on improvisation and also provides students with the opportunity to interact and perform with professional musicians.
We can trace the development of blues music through the slave trade and the field hollers and work songs of cotton fields in the Southern United States, where it became established in the 1890s. Blues music is the root of many forms of popular music and blends many traditions – one of the universal musical languages that contributed to tearing down racial and cultural barriers and allowed people of various backgrounds to integrate their talents.
“Blues in the Schools” is a workshop-based program with curriculum presented by Shirley Jackson & Her Good Rockin Daddys. Shirley Jackson and Dawn Hatfield lead the program in full cooperation with local schools. Shirley is a songwriter, blues artist, music educator, bandleader, arranger and Maple Blues Award winner. Both of her Good Rockin Daddy recordings have been nominated for East Coast Music Awards. Dawn Hatfield is a member of the Good Rockin Daddy horn section and is also a music educator, arranger and a Juno award winner. Both women bring a “can do” attitude to the classroom as well as the performance stage: they represent excellent role models for students.
The Good Rockin Daddy combo includes a four-member horn line plus a rock solid rhythm section, fully capable of catering to most band instruments. A minimum of seven instructors are involved in delivering the Blues in the Schools program.
The Good Rockin Daddys are a natural fit for Blues in the Schools. We are comfortable in the classroom and understand the challenges facing music education. We enjoy working with youth and we help make music fun. We are also designated World Vision Artists and reach out to the less fortunate in our world by promoting child sponsorship at our various performances. We are very proud of our role as music educators and as musicians making a valuable contribution to Nova Scotia’s cultural & musical experience.
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Relation to Your School and Community
Blues in the Schools engages youth irrespective of their level of musical training. The program includes organized sessions for elementary, junior high and high school students. Our curriculum can also be customized; meeting specific needs of your local school (or schools) and also the broader community. In short, this program can be tailored for learners of all ages. But primarily, Blues in the Schools is focused on youth by engaging them in their community and providing them with learning and performance opportunities.
Blues in the Schools is supported in part by the Nova Scotia Cultural Opportunities for Youth Program and is endorsed by the East Coast Blues Society and Black Cultural Centre of Nova Scotia.
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Program Options
Contact for futher information about developing a custom Blues In The School program for your school.
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Program Ideas for You to Consider
Combine schools – we try not to exceed an 7:1 student to instructor ratio, so costs may vary depending upon the number of students involved. For large groups (over 60) additional musicians will be added with a modest increase in program costs.
Invite parents and community members to participate in workshop / performance formats. Obtain a community sponsor to help defray program costs.
Produce a DVD of your student / community performance and distribute it to students.
We will work in full collaboration with your school or community group to achieve a successful community performance. The cost of the GRD in-class or community performance is included in the program cost, but excludes hall rentals, sound system, AV equipment or accommodations if they are required. The GRDs do not charge admission to our Blues in the Schools performances. Your school might wish to raise donations at the door of your community performance to support your music program.
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What Outcomes Can You Expect?
We have witnessed tremendous change in students who have taken this program. They have developed a broader appreciation for the history and evolution of musical style and form. They have developed stronger bonds with each other, and we have seen students become more motivated. But the major benefit is the development of student confidence, not only on their instruments, but also with their peers and in a group or public setting.
The kids were great - what a treat to see the soloists on stage and the overall general enthusiasm of the group. The interchange between the Good Rockin Daddys and the kids was a very special part of the evening - the pros seemed so genuinely supporting and encouraging of the kids. WOW! I'd like to see the school get behind promoting this to the whole community! Thanks again for a truly enjoyable show.”
“Thank you for the great evening and show. Ray and I loved your music and the students played so well too. We really appreciated you and your band giving your time and talent to help our children. It was a great event.”
“What a great time we had last night, the students certainly have a lot of talent. I was very surprised how much they have improved since grade 7. You can tell they all get along and certainly they seem to have fun together. Your group was awesome, we hated the evening to end.”
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Blues In The Schools Partnerships
